PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akash Dhar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Batistuta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Dhar might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Broken, Beat & Scarred - Metallica. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dhar
vs
Batistuta

180 cm
24
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akash Dhar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Carlos Batistuta!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Batistuta takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Carlos Batistuta has been cut.

Dhar clinches up against the cage.

Dhar manages to break the clinch.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Dhar - that will leave a mark!

Dhar gets a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dhar wants to pass to mount but Batistuta is defending the position.

Dhar is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Batistuta is trying to maintain the position but Dhar is very close to passing his half guard.

Batistuta looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Batistuta is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batistuta flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Batistuta gets full guard.

Batistuta throws his legs up looking for a submission but Dhar uses it to pass to side control.
Batistuta is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dhar tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Batistuta prevents Dhar from improving position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dhar landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Batistuta misses with a strike from the bottom.
Dhar wants to stand but Batistuta is controlling his arm.
You can see the frustration on Batistuta's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta manages to work his way to half guard, despite Dhar's best efforts.
Batistuta should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Batistuta is staying active underneath Dhar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Dhar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dhar sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Batistuta defending well though.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Batistuta is trying to get back to full guard.
Batistuta is not content to let Dhar control the position.
Dhar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Batistuta on the ground.
Batistuta gets full guard.
Batistuta looks gassed!
Batistuta trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Batistuta has his foot on Dhar's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dhar works his way back into a safe position though.
Dhar is looking to stand up but Batistuta won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dhar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Batistuta is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Batistuta seems to be working for a kimura but Dhar defends the submission attempt.
Dhar is trying to maintain the position but Batistuta is very close to passing his half guard.
Batistuta seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dhar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Batistuta throwing shots but Dhar is blocking nicely.
Batistuta misses with a head shot. Dhar uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta trying to control but Dhar is working from the bottom.
Batistuta throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dhar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dhar is trying to keep Batistuta in close.
Batistuta preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Batistuta postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Dhar is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Batistuta, into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akash Dhar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carlos Batistuta's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Dhar looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Batistuta!
Dhar avoids the attempt from Batistuta to control.
Dhar looking to control but Batistuta is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dhar blocks Batistuta's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Dhar lands a heavy elbow.
Dhar scoring with strikes but Batistuta is staying in there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batistuta gets back to half guard.
Batistuta trying to hold on to Dhar's head to control him but Dhar postures up.
Batistuta is breathing heavily.
Dhar wants to stand up but Batistuta is controlling the position.

Batistuta looking for submissions off his back.
Dhar tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Batistuta avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dhar.
Dhar slips a nice elbow through Batistuta's hands, connecting with Batistuta's forehead.
Batistuta is staying active underneath Dhar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dhar wants to stand and escape but instead Batistuta has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Batistuta postures up in Dhar's guard and throws a big left but Dhar blocks it.
Batistuta passes into half guard.
Dhar wants to get back to his feet.
Batistuta scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Batistuta thows a huge punch but Dhar dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dhar is trying to maintain the position but Batistuta is very close to passing his half guard.

Batistuta is trying to work for a kimura but Dhar is defending well.
Batistuta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dhar keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dhar is looking to control Batistuta's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dhar avoid being mounted?
Batistuta frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Batistuta looking to ground and pound but Dhar is blocking nicely.
Batistuta is landing with some decent strikes but Dhar is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Batistuta throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Batistuta landing strikes, looking to finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Batistuta tries to control but Dhar wriggling away.
Dhar tries to hold on but Batistuta pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Batistuta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Carlos Batistuta's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Batistuta dives in and grabs Dhar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dhar pushes down on Batistuta's head and hops out.

Dhar drives through and clinches with Batistuta against the cage.
Batistuta tries to pull guard but Dhar forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Dhar jumps into guard, dragging Batistuta to the mat.
Batistuta working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Batistuta postures up in Dhar's guard and throws a big left but Dhar blocks it.
Batistuta postures up in Dhar's guard and throws a big left but Dhar blocks it.
Batistuta sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Dhar's guard.
Dhar is trying to maintain the position but Batistuta is very close to passing his half guard.
Batistuta trying to control the action but Dhar is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Batistuta looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Batistuta seems to be looking for submissions.

Batistuta is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dhar kicks off Batistuta and gets to his feet.
Dhar throws a nice inside leg kick.

Dhar moves into the clinch successfully.

Dhar breaks from the clinch.
Dhar throws a head kick that Batistuta semi-blocks.
Dhar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dhar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dhar displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Dhar avoids the body shot from Batistuta.
Batistuta looks to land a left hand but Dhar moved out of range nicely.
Dhar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Batistuta drives through with a takedown into Dhar's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Batistuta postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Batistuta throwing strikes but missing.
Batistuta trying to control but Dhar is working from the bottom.
Batistuta postures up in Dhar's guard and throws a big left but Dhar blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta postures up in Dhar's guard and throws a big left but Dhar blocks it.

Dhar isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Batistuta stacks Dhar on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Batistuta!
Batistuta in side control, throwing shots but Dhar defends.

Batistuta tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dhar is looking to reverse the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carlos Batistuta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Batistuta has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carlos Batistuta!